The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (HAC) The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (HAC Act), requires that all ‘essential’ telephones and wireless telecommunications devices manufactured or imported for use in the United States must be hearing aid compatible according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Users with hearing devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants may experience interference or a type of feedback when using or in close proximity to wireless devices. To ensure the compatibility of the hearing devices with wireless products, an industry standardized rating system was devised to aid users in finding the most beneficial device that provides the best quality of audible clarity with the least interference. The ratings should be looked at as a guide or referencing aid and not as a guarantee as the results for each user will vary according to their respective hearing device and individual degree of hearing loss. Not all wireless devices are rated. Wireless devices that are rated will have the rating displayed on the box along with other relevant information. For best results, it is recommended that users with a hearing device consult a medical professional for evaluation before purchasing or testing a wireless device. Ratings According to the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard C63.19 there are two sets of standardized ratings for digital handsets. An ‘M’ and ‘T’ rating are used to determine the value of likely interference or immunity of a wireless device in compatibility to a hearing device based on a level of numerical value from 1-4. An ‘M’ rating is determined by the reduced radio frequency interference to enable acoustic coupling with hearing aids that do not operate in telecoil mode. A ‘T’ rating is determined by the reduced radio frequency interference to enable inductive coupling with hearing aids that operate in telecoil mode. To be considered hearing aid-compatible, a digital wireless handset for acoustic coupling must meet a requirement of ‘M3” under the ANSI standard and ‘T3’ for inductive coupling. Types of Phones Offered by CWW PDAs (smartphones) generally have advanced features such as expandable memory, enhanced camera, Bluetooth, video, Internet access, touch screen UI, faster processing, email, full QWERTY keypads, and in many cases Windows Office Mobile, to meet the demands of mobile business professionals and consumers.

Good: Handsets provide lower cost voice service. Typically include basic texting, limited web browsing and e-mail capability.

Better: Handsets offer upgraded voice. Advanced web browsing with e-mail, camera and video capability, social media and download functionality.

Best: Handsets incorporate new technologies and high data speeds, advanced voice/web browsing and e-mail capability, as well as increased storage, high-resolution display, enhanced camera with video capability, social media and download app functionality. Feature phones can operate on 3G and 4G networks.

This phone has been tested and rated for use with hearing aids for some of the wireless technologies that it uses. However, there may be some newer wireless technologies used in this phone that have not been tested yet for use with hearing aids. It is important to try the different features of this phone thoroughly and in different locations, using your hearing aid or cochlear implant, to determine if you hear any interfering noise. Consult your service provider or the manufacturer of this phone for information on hearing aid compatibility. If you have questions about return or exchange policies, consult your service provider or phone retailer.

A list of current and previously sold Carolina West Wireless handsets and their HAC rating can be found in the table below.

Resources

Information on hearing aid compatibility is available from the Federal Communications Commission at

https://www.fcc.gov/hearing-aid-compatibility-wireless-telephones

General information regarding hearing aid-compatible and non-hearing aid compatible handset models is available at

http://gari.info/